The Sunset Over The Ocean
by soul painter
Summary: Sakura saw him simply as a friend. For her it had always been Sasuke. But Hinata saw him as so much more. He was important to her and for the first time, she would make sure her voice was heard to spare him heartache. Sakura was playing with fire. Hinata was chasing the wind. Why is it that neither could have what they wanted most?
1. Chapter 1

_Hello everyone. This little story is meant to be focused on Hinata's and Sakura's feelings regarding the boys they love and each other as, somewhat rivals, I guess you could call it. Also, this is my very first story. I'm just testing the waters a bit with my writing. Reviews are honestly appreciated, whether they are helpful criticism or compliments. I hope to get some of both. Well, onto the story and I hope you enjoy it. *Also a little side note, Sakura will not be introduced until the next chapter._

**Chapter 1: What Can I Say?**

"Oi Hinata!" The blue haired kunoichi looked up to see a very large Akamaru rushing towards her with a frantic looking Kiba on his back.

"Hinata, what the hell happened to you? Akamaru could smell your blood as soon as you entered the village!" Said dog began to sniff and lick the bloodied gash extending from the kunoichi's elbow to her shoulder.

"Kiba, please calm down. I am a ninja after all. I'm bound to return from a mission with injuries from time to time." Hinata held her head up high, and even though the injury was much more than a bee sting, she tried her best to ignore the pain. It's true, she was a shy girl by nature, but through the years she gained confidence in her abilities and her worth. Along with those nervous glances she would cast, her constant stuttering was also thrown out the window. However, she was still the gentle, kind ninja she'd always been, and Kiba not only knew it, but was thankful for it. To him Hinata was not just a team mate or a comrade. He loved her, but as a best friend who he could trust with anything. Hinata was not one to start gossip or go around telling secrets, and he –as well as Akamaru- admired that about her. And this made him care for her all the more.

"Hinata, that gash is huge. It looks like someone tried to bite your arm off. Plus, you're looking paler than usual, which is really saying something. We've gotta get you to the hospital before you lose any more blood."

"Kiba, you're over reacting. I can patch myself up."

"Hinata, we are not leaving here until you get on Akamaru and let us take you to the hospital." Kiba knew he was being… a bit much… but he couldn't help but be worried about his friend. Of course, he acknowledged that Hinata was strong and could hold her own in battle. But, he still remembers the old Hinata, the girl who didn't believe in herself, who spoke so softly sometimes it was hard to hear her. He remembers the girl who believed she was useless because of not being able to live up to her father's expectations, and being hated by her cousin. And back then, he felt that it was his job to watch out for her, to give her reassurance and confidence, and to try his best to make sure she was unharmed, both emotionally and physically. And, well, what could he say – old habits die hard.

Hinata knew all of this about Kiba. She watched him look out for her over and over again. She knew his intentions towards her were good, so good that she even tried to see if she could possibly, just maybe, love him. She knew that Kiba didn't love her like that but she had a feeling that if she gave him all she could offer, well, he just might welcome her with open arms. But whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see was a flash of yellow, wild hair and the most ridiculous, broad smile ever. Well, what could she say – you can't choose who you love.

Being unable to resist Akamaru's whining and pleading, she reluctantly hoisted herself on top of him as Kiba wore a smile of triumph and rushed her to the hospital. Hinata was quite enjoying their little journey, with the wind blowing through her long locks, making them appear as deep blue waves crashing together on a stormy night. But she couldn't help but keep one thought from going through her mind. She really hoped she wouldn't have a run in with _her._

_I would just like to thank those of you who spared some of your time to read the first chapter of my story. It really does mean a lot to me. If you have any criticism or comments in general then please review, I would really appreciate it. Until next time._


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey everyone! I was planning on waiting until I got a few more reviews before posting the next chapter but I couldn't wait, lol. Also, I thought that in case any of you like this story, it wouldn't be nice to delay the chapter for no reason. So, without further ado, here it is. _

**Chapter 2: Outer Strength**

Hinata was currently sitting in a small room, awaiting a medical nin. The whole room smelled of sterilization, and the counter was littered with pills and needles. Somehow, Hinata managed to convince Kiba that she would be fine coming in on her own, that she would not suddenly faint along the way, and that she expected him to be waiting outside. Actually, she suggested that he go grab a bite, since he'd been so busy delivering messages with Akamaru all day. She was thinking about getting herself something to eat as well, after this whole ordeal was over with, when she spotted someone she really didn't want to see.

Wide luminescent orbs clashed with startled jade eyes as Haruno Sakura stepped into the room. Her pink hair was in an up do. It was a clear attempt to keep the hair out of her face but a few cherry blossom coloured strands dared to dance over her forehead. Her hair was not long enough to keep all the strands in place and after she cut it during the chuunin exams, she realized she rather liked the style as it showed off her features more.

The usually confident medical nin stared at the blue haired kunoichi, an awkward silence setting in. Being the professional in the room, Sakura cleared her throat and decided to break it. "Well, Hinata-san, that is quite a gash there. It's a good thing you came in when you did." Sakura wore an uneasy smile as she moved closer to Hinata to clean and heal her wounds.

"Yes… Kiba-kun was very worried and convinced me to stop by the hospital." Hinata watched Sakura closely as she started to clean her wounds. The uneasy smile was wiped off her face as a confident, focused expression took its place. Hinata envied Sakura's confidence, for she'd had it for much longer. She was so sure of herself, in everything that she did. Not only that, but Hinata knew that Sakura was physically stronger than her, when considering brute strength. She heard about how she defeated Sasori. She saw her train a couple of times, smashing boulders like they were made of dust. And, even though it was hard to admit, she envied Sakura for that too. And she couldn't deny that Sakura was pretty. Yep pretty, and she was definitely strong alright. Maybe that's why Naruto thought the world of her. But there had to be something more. She continued to openly stare at her even when Sakura had finished cleaning the wound. That is until Sakura caught her and cleared her throat, causing a slight blush to form on Hinata's cheeks.

"Is… there something wrong, Hinata-san?

"No, uh, nothing at all Sakura-san."

Sakura smiled. "Well that's good then. For a second there I thought your wound was causing you a bit too much discomfort."

_It's not the wound that's making me uncomfortable…_ While Sakura was getting some bandages, Hinata noticed a bouquet of beautiful cherry blossoms on the table, held by a jade coloured vase with little flowers painted all over.

"Those flowers are very beautiful. You should put them by the window, else they won't stay alive for long."

"Oh, those flowers? They were a present from Naruto," Sakura stated with a wave of her hand. "I haven't really had any time to even put any water in them, let alone place them in the sun." The medical nin placed the bandages on the table, and was about to heal the wound, when Hinata suddenly jumped up and headed towards the vase of flowers.

"But if you don't put any water in them, they'll die! They were a present from Naruto-kun, you should take care of them properly so they'll grow." Hinata hurried to the sink to fill the vase with some much needed water. She couldn't believe that Sakura couldn't care less about those flowers. They were given to her with thought and feeling from someone who clearly loved her. If only _she_ were lucky enough to receive flowers from Naruto, to be the object of his affection. Actually, that wasn't even what was bothering her. What was really bothering her was the fact that Naruto, someone who had been fighting to be recognized, to be trusted and acknowledged his whole life, was being ignored and forgotten even though he showered Sakura with such affection that-and she hated to admit it- it made her jealous.

Sakura, on the other hand, was a bit confused. "If they wilt I can always get more. There are fields littered with all kinds. They're just flowers Hinata."

Hinata just stared back at her in disbelief. "That's not the point! It doesn't matter that you can get more if you want. What matters is that someone who _cares_ about you gave these to you! Don't you see? Naruto gave these to you in the hopes that you would be happy, that you would think of him. He took his time to match the flowers with the colour of your hair, the vase with your eyes, because he was hoping you would notice it! That you would notice him! Because he – he loves you Sakura! I know he hasn't directly said it to you but he doesn't need to because it's so obvious that he thinks about you all the time! And you don't even care!" Hinata was clutching hard at the flower vase, breathing heavily. She focused a challenging glare onto Sakura, practically daring her to say something back.

For a moment all Sakura could do was stare back at her, open mouthed. She had never been very close with Hinata to begin with, but she could recall a quiet, timid girl that was nothing like the young woman standing before her. She was in shock for a few more seconds until what Hinata said had clicked – and then she got angry.

_Once again, thank you to all those wonderful readers! And if you have some time, maybe you wouldn't mind reviewing? I will try to update soon!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi everybody. I'm happy to say that I finished the third chapter. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Here it is. _

**Chapter 3: Inner Strength**

"Ok then, I see what you're doing." Sakura focused a level gaze on Hinata. "You didn't come here to get your wounds treated, you came here to insult me, correct?"

Hinata was getting more frustrated by the minute. This girl really knew how to push her buttons. "No, I did not come here to insult you Sakura, I-"

"Well then, if that wasn't your intention you have two options. Either drop the subject, no apology required, and let me heal your wound or…" Sakura strutted to the door, held it open, and stared Hinata down, a deadly look in her eyes. "Get out."

Hinata knew before she had even opened her mouth that what she had said to Sakura would probably lead to an argument. But now there were two ways she could go about this. She could just let it go like Sakura suggested and avoid any more drama. Or she could haughtily storm out of the room, looking like a total diva. Both would mean her backing down, her being _put in her place._ And right now Hinata was not willing to be seen as weak. But, she had to make a decision. So she considered her options briefly, and decided which route she would take.

She walked towards the door.

Sakura hadn't expected that she would leave but she was fine with it. Just when she thought there could be no more surprises for the day, Hinata, who was in front of the door now, grabbed the door handle from Sakura and slammed it. Silence filled the room as Hinata glared at Sakura and what she said would change Sakura's opinion of her forever.

"I will _not_ leave until what I have to say has been heard."

"_What the hell just happened" _was pretty much the first thought that went through Sakura's mind. This was Hinata Hyuga who was standing up to her. This was the girl who would turn as red as a tomato and faint at the mere sight of Naruto. This was the girl who was insulted by her cousin in front of all her fellow academy classmates and her sensei at the Chuunin exams. Not only was she insulted by Neji in front of everyone, but she was ruthlessly beat to a pulp by him. Maybe if she admitted defeat from before, she could have got out of the match with not more than a fist to the jaw.

When Sakura was watching Hinata's match against Neji all those years ago, one thought kept popping up in her mind. _Why didn't she back down? Why wouldn't she make things easier for herself when there was no way she could end up the winner._ But then it hit Sakura. That day, she saw a determination in Hinata's eyes, a fierceness she had never seen before. She had seen that determination again on that horrible day when Hinata risked her life to save Naruto from Pein. And now, with Hinata standing before her, she was once again met with that determination. _Yep, she's strong alright. It turns out I misjudged her after all._ And then Sakura was met with a sad realization. _Hinata had given all she had to save Naruto that day when all I did was stand by and watch._ But that was then, and although she regretted her lack of action, she couldn't waste her time thinking about past mistakes.

Sakura could see that Hinata wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Of course, she was still angry at her for accusing her of not caring about Naruto, but she had to admit she was impressed. Although Hinata was annoying her, Sakura valued someone with a backbone. She had to acknowledge that she liked hanging out with people who brought out her competitive side. It was one of the many reasons why she was so close with Ino.

And so, she took a deep breath, swallowed her pride and gave Hinata a chance. "Alright then, say what you have to say."

_Thank you to everyone who decided to read. Also, I would like to give a special thank you to __**Myomi-chan**__ and __**Dbzgirl1011**__ for being my very first reviewers. I'm so happy and it means a lot to me. Oh, and to __**Dbzgirl1011 **__I'll see what I can do to throw some romance in, lol. Have a good day everybody, and please review when you can!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi everyone. I'm sorry it's taken me longer than usual to write this chapter. Over the weekend my family has been constantly going out. We can't just waste this beautiful weather! Also, I'm very excited to tell you that I GOT MY DRIVERS LICENCE! I've been practicing a lot for that, thank goodness I passed. So, once again sorry for the delay and here is the next chapter. *From now on, I think I might have to update within the week, rather than in a few days. Sorry about that.*_

**Chapter 4: If Words Were Bullets**

Now, Sakura had decided to hear Hinata out. She would remain calm through the whole thing and before she knew it, this little rant would be over and she could go back to doing her job. After all, she had been working on her, uh, _anger issues_ ever since Tonton, Shizune's pig, almost had a heart attack after Sakura turned the table she was sleeping under into a pile of firewood because of something Naruto had done earlier that day. She could clearly recall Shizune looking at her with huge teary eyes, holding a hyperventilating Tonton. Shizune made Sakura _swear_ that she would attend weekly lessons with her on how to control her anger. _"Oh come on Sakura, don't look at me like that! The lessons will pay off, I promise! I even got Tsunade to agree to do them from before, and I can tell you for a fact that she's a lot better now then she used to be. Trust me, the Shizune method really works!"_

How Tsunade could have been any angrier than she would get nowadays, Sakura had absolutely no clue. Shizune continued to look at her with puppy dog eyes and Sakura really didn't want to hurt Tonton even by accident, so she agreed to take the lessons. And, she had to admit they were working quite well, so she was one hundred percent sure she could listen to Hinata without blowing up. Okay, maybe eighty percent sure. Or seventy five percent sure. Yes, that was right, she was seventy five - no - seventy percent sure that she would not explode. Oh, what was she worrying about? Whatever Hinata had to say to her, it couldn't be that bad.

"Do you love him?"

Sakura was so busy recalculating her chances of keeping cool, that she didn't fully hear Hinata's question. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Do you love Naruto-kun?" Hinata was absolutely serious, patiently awaiting Sakura's answer.

"Of course I love Naruto," Sakura heatedly replied.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut tight and gave a short sigh of frustration. "Let me rephrase my question then. Are you _in love_ with Naruto-kun?"

Sakura suddenly became unusually quiet and her gaze guiltily fell to the floor. But that was all Hinata needed to see to know the answer to her question.

"Then _why?"_ Hinata's voice started getting louder, and she had to remind herself to stay calm. "Why won't you tell him that you're not in love with him? Why won't you tell him that he has no chance with you, that you'll never love him!"

"I don't need to tell him something he already knows! Ever since we were gennin, he has _always_ known that I have never thought of him that way!"

Hinata's expression started to soften. "But don't you understand Sakura? You need to tell him those exact words, that you will _never_ love him because he will _never_ give up on you. He will try and try again because that's just how he is. Don't you realize that in the end you'll just hurt him more?"

Sakura's eyebrow ticked, and she was starting to go over the edge. "Hurt him? I'm trying to _protect _him! Don't you think he's been through enough? He's already lost his _best friend_! He doesn't need to lose me too!"

Hinata looked to be deep in thought. She looked so out of it that Sakura wasn't sure if she was even paying attention to their conversation anymore. All of a sudden Hinata gasped, and a look of understanding crossed her face. "Wait a minute. You… you're not scared of him feeling that he's lost you. It's you who's scared of losing him because, because he's the closest thing you have left to… to _Sasuke_."

Sakura's mind froze. Everyone knew that _his_ name was like a taboo around her. The thought of him brought her _so much_ pain. She tried so hard to forget about him, but she couldn't. She could _never_ forget about him. So when she couldn't keep him from entering her thoughts and the suffering became too great, she spoke about him to those closest to her, and she cried. She cried for the pain she felt, but more than that she cried for him, for what he had become. But not to just anyone. _Never_ to just anyone. And suddenly, her fury spiked. Who exactly was this girl in front of her, to dare to speak as if she _knew_ what this kind of torture felt like? As if she had to live through it _every day._ Sakura wasn't just upset or angry anymore, she was _livid. _And even though she might regret them later, she looked at Hinata and spat out words that were as deadly as kunai laced with poison.

"It's not my fault Hinata that no matter how hard you try Naruto _still_ doesn't love you! It's not my fault that even though you were willing to _die_ for him that he didn't so much as _thank_ you let alone tell you that he cares for you! Face it Hinata, he has _never loved you!"_

Hinata's face lowered, her lip slightly quivering, her hands clasped together tightly. Even though her eyes were now hidden behind her bangs, you could still see the lone tear trickling down her cheek. Sakura immediately started to regret what she had said to her. That is, until Hinata looked up, her eyes hardening, and spoke the words that no one dared to speak.

"Well, I guess you would know all about that, considering Sasuke decided he would rather leave with Orochimaru of all people then stay here and let you love him."

Hinata could see it coming before she even activated her Byakugan. Sakura sprinted forwards and jumped in the air, her arm pulled back, fist formed, ready to deliver a deadly blow to the head. Hinata, having already activated her Byakugan, readied herself to use her Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists, the same attack she used to break the chakra rods restricting Naruto during his battle with Pein.

All of a sudden, the room filled with a strong whirlwind as Kiba and Akamaru entered the room using their Piercing Fang Taijutsu in the centre of the room. Sakura, not having expected Kiba's dramatic entrance, was blown to the other side of the room. Hinata saw Akamaru jump towards her and slammed her attack into a nearby counter last minute, while being smothered by the very large, very heavy dog.

Having instructed Akamaru to get off of Hinata before she suffocated, Kiba grabbed her by the waist, threw her over Akamaru's back, and got on himself. Then he looked towards Sakura.

"Yo Sakura, Hinata and I've got some business to take care of so we'll catch you later. Sorry for messin' up your office."

And with that they leapt out of the seventh story window, leaving Sakura lying on the floor in a daze.

* * *

_Thanks for reading guys. Remember if you have anything you would like to point out about this chapter or if you liked it, please review if you can._

**_thelastshanghai:_**_ Wow! I'm flattered to hear that you like my story so much. And the fact that you think I'm a good writer makes me want to happy dance! Thank you so much, it's reviews like yours that make me want to write more. :D_

_**Catherine3:**__ I see we have a Hinata fan lol. I'm glad to see that you like how she's portrayed in the story. Thanks for the review. (:_

_**Myomi-chan:**__ You are one of my favourite reviewers so far! What you said means a lot, so of course you deserve a thank you. I think it's interesting that my story is different from others you've read, so hopefully I won't disappoint you in future chapters. (:_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello everyone. Thanks to those of you who have stuck with me so far. Here is the next chapter._

**Chapter 5: The Truth Hurts**

"Kiba! What are you doing?" Hinata screamed as she, along with Akamaru and Kiba, jumped out the window. Now don't get her wrong, Hinata was not afraid of heights, nor was she worried that she would actually get hurt. But to be honest, she thought she had definitely had her fill of crazy for the day. Apparently, fate did not agree with her.

Akamaru landed on the ground and sprinted to an isolated street, wanting to draw as little attention as possible. Well, as little attention as one could draw _after_ jumping out of the window of a hospital in plain sight of everyone. Akamaru skid to a stop and Hinata was thankful to be back on the ground. Before she could so much as take one step, Kiba grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"I think the question that should be asked here is what the hell did you think you were doing?" Kiba rarely got angry with Hinata but when he did, Hinata knew there must be a pretty damn good reason why.

Hinata suddenly felt the need to defend herself. "If someone tries to attack me I'm not going to just stand there and take a hit. I was only protecting myself."

Kiba ran his hand through his hair, getting frustrated. "Don't give me that crap Hinata! You should've gone on the defensive! Do you realize what could've happened? Someone could've gotten seriously hurt! Someone could've gotten killed!"

Hinata knew he was right, and she wasn't just ashamed, but she felt horrible. She shouldn't have countered with the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists. She could've jumped out of the way. She could've done a lot of other things. Kiba could see what he was doing to her, and he hated it. He always had a soft spot when it came to Hinata. He put his hand on her head. Hinata looked up, surprised to see Kiba smiling at her.

"Hey, don't get too down in the dumps. No harm no foul, right? Just watch yourself next time. Seriously Hinata, this isn't like you. What really happened back there?"

Hinata closed her eyes, those terrible words replaying in her mind over and over again. _"It's not my fault Hinata that no matter how hard you try Naruto still doesn't love you! It's not my fault that even though you were willing to die for him that he didn't so much as thank you let alone tell you that he cares for you! Face it Hinata, he has never loved you!"_ And she knew Sakura was right. She knew it but to hear it was almost unbearable.

"Hinata…," Kiba was starting to get worried. His hand fell from her head to cup her cheek. "Tell me what's wrong."

Hinata looked at him and smiled. "Nothing's wrong Kiba, please don't worry. It's just been a rough morning. I think I need some time to think is all." And with that said, she turned and ran towards the end of the street.

Kiba wasn't going to just let her up and leave that easily. He went to go after her, but tripped almost instantly. He turned his head to see Akamaru biting onto the end of his pants.

"Akamaru, what the hell was that for!" The large dog let go of his pants and responded with two loud barks.

"Okay, okay! I get it, she needs some time to herself." Kiba got up and dusted himself off. "I guess she'll tell me when she's ready to tell me."

Akamaru nudged his owner's arm, and let out a sad whine. Kiba ruffled the fur on Akamaru's head and sighed.

"Yeah. I hope she'll be alright too."

Having been able to escape from Kiba, Hinata was wandering aimlessly, lost in her thoughts. She felt bad about leaving Kiba like that, she really did. But she didn't have it in her to tell him what happened. She stopped walking, thinking about what Sakura had said to her. _I guess people know what they're talking about when they say the truth hurts._ Before she could throw herself into a pit of depression, she was met with someone she clearly was not expecting.

"Well, look what we have here. I haven't seen you in a while."

Hinata looked up, realizing that she was the one being spoken to.

"So, I've heard you and Sakura had an exchange of words at the hospital."

Hinata was a bit alarmed. How did she know about that already?

The kunoichi smirked at her. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna bite your head off. I need some help in the flower shop. Mind giving me a hand?"

Hinata wasn't really in the mood right now, but it would be a bit rude of her to decline.

"Of course. I don't mind at all," she replied with a smile.

Deciding to lend a helping hand, Hinata followed the blond into the flower shop. She just hoped she wouldn't regret her decision later.

* * *

_Thanks for reading you guys! If you feel up to it, I wouldn't mind a review._

_**Catherine3**__: I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the last chapter! I'm lucky to have such a great reviewer. Thanks a bunch for your review. :)_

_**Darkmoon120**: You are so sweet! Hearing that you think the last chapter was incredible makes me really happy! Thank you so much for reviewing. (Just to let you know I would've put the period after the "dark" part of your username but for some reason, whenever I did all that would show up was the 120 part. Sorry about that.)_

_**sumo is: **__Well, here's how I like to think of it. To you and me it's really obvious that Hinata has a thing for Naruto. In the anime, I believe that when Hinata tried to save Naruto from Pein, Sakura said something along the lines of how Hinata must really love him. So, that could've been the point when Sakura realized it, but by the way she said it, I think she might have had a sneaking suspicion about it before then. Now if you're talking about whether Hinata's team mates knew about her crush, you would think they would since she would get red and faint or stutter a lot in front of them whenever Naruto was around, but then again, sometimes the boys in Naruto can be really dense when it comes to love, lol. As for everyone else knowing about her feelings, I guess it depends if you're considering someone like Shikamaru who doesn't overlook details, or someone like Choji who focuses most of his attention on his snacks lol. Thanks for the review._

_**thelastshanghai: **__Glad to see you like the tougher side of Hinata! To answer your question, no intentional bashing will be done to either character, at least nothing excessive. I want to try to let everyone see both sides of the story, and how both these girls deserve whatever they're searching for. Thanks again for reviewing._


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello everyone. Wow, it really has been a long time, hasn't it. I'm very sorry I have been away for so long. Life is full of unexpected surprises. I'm happy to say that I am back and would like you all to know that unless I outright say it, I will never abandon a story. Anyways, enough of my rambling. Here is the sixth chapter. _

**Chapter 6: Your meaning**

As soon as Hinata stepped into the flower shop she was surrounded by vibrant colours, sweet scents, and happy faces. Ino brought out a large vase and placed three dozen flowers next to them. Their job was to arrange them so they could be put on display. While Hinata was working, she looked to her left and saw two teenage girls, giggling and smelling red roses. She looked to her right and saw a shy, young boy staring at a bouquet of tulips and scratching his head. This whole place had a sort of calming effect on Hinata and she could feel herself start to loosen up.

Ino noticed this and offered Hinata a genuine smile. "Well you seem to be feeling better."

"I am actually," Hinata replied with a big smile in return.

"You know, it shouldn't come as such a shock to you that I know about the whole hospital incident. I actually work there."

Hinata was a bit surprised. "Really? I didn't know that you were a medical nin."

Ino laughed. "Well, more like a part time medical nin. Sakura's not the only one who trained with Tsunade-sama, although I will admit she got more training then I did."

Hinata's eyes suddenly shifted from Ino's face to the flower vase, her mouth forming a tight line.

"Hey Hinata." The blue haired kunoichi looked up at the blond florist. "I know that you know I'm Sakura's best friend, and you probably think I called you in here to give you a piece of my mind. I'm guessing I'm the last person you'd ever try to get advice from. But Hinata, despite all that I could help you, if you let me."

Hinata bit her lip and contemplated the offer. Ino was being awfully nice to her. And _even though _she was Sakura's best friend, Hinata had to remember that it wasn't Ino that she'd had an argument with. And who knows? Maybe the girl in front of her could give her advice that she couldn't get elsewhere. And so, she told Ino her story from beginning to end.

Ino was left staring at her, wide eyed, her jaw dropping to the floor. She had no idea Hinata had it in her. Hinata perceived the staring as something entirely different though, and startled Ino with a hasty outburst.

"I know, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things to her! Well except for the fact that she sort of deserved it you know considering- but no wait what I did was still unacceptable! But really she didn't have to stoop so low but no, ackkk, it's still wrong! What I did was wrong and I-"

"Whoa, whoa calm down Hinata! Just take a deep breath. Come on now, in… and out, good. Jeez you need to learn to relax! Now, stop freaking out and tell me what you honestly think of what happened."

Hinata took another deep breath and spoke truthfully. "Alright. I'll admit that what I said to Sakura was not the nicest thing to say. But honestly, I felt that she deserved it. She needed to see what she was doing to Naruto. She needed someone to open her eyes, and when she didn't want to hear the truth she lashed out at me. What she said- what she said to me about him, it wasn't warranted." Hinata's hurt feelings quickly started to change to anger. Ino sensed this, and she put her hand over Hinata's clenched fist.

"Hinata… I know what she said hurt you. Neither of you said the right thing. But let me explain something to you. Here, let me give you a lesson on flowers."

…Okay. Hinata knew that Ino loved her work at the flower shop but she really couldn't see how a lesson on flowers would solve her problems. Her gaze followed Ino's hands as they picked up a thin branch dotted with cherry blossoms.

"Well Hinata, I believe that just as you can match a certain colour to a person's mood you can connect a specific flower to a person's personality. Now, here we have the cherry blossom which –"

"Wait, let me guess," Hinata interrupted. "The cherry blossom is supposed to represent Sakura, right?"

Ino gave her a sheepish smile. "Well yeah. Her parents really hit the mark when they named her. Anyways, when you look at the flower what do you think of?"

Hinata's eyes concentrated on the flower. She was lost in its pale pink colour with its darker center; the graceful, delicate branch; the shape of the petals. "Well that's easy. I think of beauty. After all, it is beautiful. I've always liked cherry blossoms. Sakura trees litter the village, and lots of people admire them. They're popular among both boys and girls. The children love them too, and always laugh as the blossoms swirl around in the breeze. They're a classic favourite."

Ino smiled lightly and Hinata blushed as she realized she had just effectively described how she viewed Sakura, or at least how she thought the rest of the world viewed her.

"Well Hinata, you're right about them being beautiful. Not only that, but in some cultures cherry blossoms also represent dominance and passion, not to mention power."

Hinata simply stared at Ino. "So in short, what you're trying to say is that they're the perfect flowers?"

Ino pursed her lips and placed her hands on her hips. "Hinata, nothing is perfect. And cherry blossoms have a deeper meaning than that. They represent mortality."

Hinata was not having a hard time following Ino at all, that is until she mentioned that last bit. "What do you mean by mortality? All flowers die eventually, don't they?"

"Yes, they do. But cherry blossoms have an especially short life span. They are vibrant and lively to begin with, but they easily fade. And if, let's say, the cherry blossom is deprived of something they yearn for, like the sun, because for whatever reason the sun does not wish to let it's rays reach that blossom, then that cherry blossom will try its best to be acknowledged by the sun. But if the sun suddenly disappears forever and there is very little hope for its return, then the cherry blossom loses the incentive to bloom again and it begins to fade even more quickly. So, you see, in that case it is very difficult for the cherry blossom to bloom each spring, and even more difficult to bloom with a show of radiance if inside it is deeply wounded…"

Ino's eyes took on a light glaze and Hinata's heart wrenched. She had no idea – she didn't know how it felt to be purposely left behind by someone. She still didn't know, thank goodness, but now she felt a new feeling of empathy towards Sakura that she hadn't felt before.

"And so Hinata, the cherry blossom may come off as a little insensitive, but only because it is trying to hold on to whatever, or whoever, it has left in its life."

Ino was surprised as Hinata suddenly grabbed her hand and smiled. "I understand what you're trying to tell me Ino. I think you're great at reading people and flowers. I didn't know that the cherry blossom had meanings that were so opposing."

"Well, now that you mention it I guess that sort of explains Sakura's whole freakish multiple personality inner-self thing."

Okay, now Hinata was completely lost. "…Her… what?"

Ino nervously started scratching the back of her head. "Oh – ahaha, nothing. Nothing, never mind, it's nothing really, aha, ahahAHAHA!"

Hinata wasn't really sure what was happening but she could tell that Ino might have said too much. Either that or she was crazy. She wondered if that was really true. She did hear Shikamaru say so once. Either way, Hinata was still grateful for the florist's help.

"Thank you so much Ino. I really appreciate your help, although I'm sorry I'm not a very big help to you." Ino looked down at the pile of flowers in front of Hinata that were barely touched. She could see the girl had absolutely no idea on how to properly arrange flowers. The only flower that she actually put into the vase was of a purplish-blue shade with many blossoms raining down from the top of the stem.

"Well, well, I see someone likes bluebells," Ino stated as she arranged some more flowers into the vase.

"Is that what they are? They are quite pretty."

"Yep." Ino gave Hinata a warm smile. "They are pretty and they represent you perfectly!"

Hinata blushed. "You think these represent me?" No one had ever compared her to a flower before. Hinata had always wanted to be compared to one though. Flowers reminded her of her mother. They were delicate, and full of grace and beauty. Hinata was quite intrigued by the bluebells in the vase, and was curious of how they were similar to her. "What do they mean exactly?"

"Bluebells are flowers that are easier to understand than cherry blossoms. They represent tenderness, humbleness, gratitude, stability and faithfulness. A perfect match for you, don't you think?"

"I – I suppose…," Hinata blushed again, a light smile on her face.

"I, on the other hand, am a cosmos which represents peacefulness, wholeness, and modesty."

"Tch, that couldn't be more off the mark," replied a rather bored looking Shikamaru, who had suddenly appeared behind Ino, with Choji and his usual bag of chips in tow.

Ino smacked Shikamaru upside the head leaving a rather large bump, and huffed loudly. "Don't listen to him Hinata. Besides, I didn't even finish the explanation yet. A cosmos is basically the flower of _love,_ which would totally explain why all the men in the village, except for idiots like Shikamaru, find me oh so irresistible and attractive."

"But Ino, I don't find you attractive," stated Choji as he finished the remains of his snack, only to start on another bag of chips.

Ino's face took on the hue of a ripened tomato. "I said _except for idiots,_ you idiot!"

Shikamaru frowned. "That's beside the point. Your whole "I'm oh so irresistible" speech completely contradicted your modesty pitch. And hitting me on the head isn't exactly peaceful."

"Shut up Shikamaru! You know what represents you? A weed! And Choji here is just a Venus fly trap that eats everything in sight!"

"Hey! I don't eat everything in… well… I mean if it's edible then – "

Hinata awkwardly glanced away as the three continued to bicker. She decided she might as well finish arranging the flowers. She figured that by the time she was done everything would be calm again. When she finished her task, she glanced back at the three. Ino now had both Choji and Shikamaru in a headlock, both of whom were sporting a bag of chips over their heads. Obviously, Hinata had no idea how long an Ino Shika Cho fight could go.

She decided to leave the three to their fun as she turned to exit the flower shop. Before she stepped through the door though, she realized she forgot something very important.

"Ino! There's something else I want to talk to you about!"

Ino glanced at Hinata and let go of Shikamaru and Choji, the relief plain on their faces. They bolted to the door, with Choji giving Hinata a quick thank you for saving them.

"Ino… you seem really good at giving advice so I was wondering… what do you suggest a person does when the one that they are… in love with… is in love with someone else?"

Ino stared at Hinata, making her slightly uncomfortable. "Well that's easy. You fight for them girl!"

Hinata stared back at the florist, utterly perplexed. "But… what if even after that, they are still in love with someone else."

Ino's eyes suddenly became distant, her gaze reaching the outside of her little shop and settling on the sky. "Well, then if that's the case, you have to force yourself to let go, even if it hurts. It's one thing for the sun to not shine on you but it's a completely different thing if it has never even risen for you to see it." Ino pulled herself out of the temporary haze and focused her baby blues on Hinata's eyes. "Sometimes Hinata, it's not what you want that will make you happy. It's what you need."

Hinata gave Ino a gentle smile and surprised the florist once again with a warm hug. She thanked Ino one more time, and stepped out of the flower shop.

Ino returned to the vase of flowers Hinata and her had been working on, and grimaced. The flowers did not complement each other at all. She set to work on rearranging them, when she noticed a bluebell and cherry blossom arranged side by side. She smiled to herself, as she thought that out of the mess of flowers before her, those two were the only ones that went together quite nicely.

_Thanks to those of you who read this, and once again I'm very sorry for the delay. If you have time to spare, or if you just feel like it, then please review. _


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